Remploy strike update

Almost 40 per cent of the company’s 54 factories were working today during the 24-hour strike called by the GMB and Unite unions.

At 10 sites all employees reported for work and at a further 14 sites at least 50% of employees went to work as usual.

Union activists padlocked the gates at two factories – Sheffield and Chesterfield – and locks were glued at other sites to prevent employees going to work.

In Sheffield, where Phil Davies, the GMB’s national officer was present, employees climbed over the fence to get into work.

Sheffield employees going in to work were photographed and told that their pictures would be posted on the internet. In Dundee, gates were padlocked and locks on the premises were tampered with.

Sites which worked normally where there were at least 50 per cent of employees present were:

Acton, Barrow, Bolton, Boston Spa, Burnley, Cleator Moor, Coventry, Cook with Care, Derby, Edinburgh, Huddersfield, Leicester, Stoke on Trent, Oldham, Penzance, Pontefract, Poole, Sheffield, Southampton, Spennymoor and Wrexham.

A Remploy spokesman said: “Significant numbers of employees have turned up to work as normal today and the Company thanks them for their commitment. We deplore attempts to intimidate employees who want to work.

“Employees who turned up for work will be paid as usual and the company will not pay workers who take strike action.

“Strike action will do nothing to secure the future jobs of Remploy staff.

“The Company is concerned that industrial action could deter prospective buyers for nine factories for which formal bids have been invited and it clear that concern is shared by a very large number of our employees.

“Strike action could also affect the prospects for 18 Remploy other factories which it is believed could be commercially viable after the Government withdraws funding from Remploy.”

The Company Statement on 10 July announcing the proposed closure of 27 factories can be found here:

http://www.remploy.co.uk/news-and-media/company-statement-10th-july.ashx  

A list of the affected factories can be found here:

http://www.remploy.co.uk/news-and-media/company-statement-10th-july/list-of-affected-factories.ashx